I think Precision Camera Didn't Put My KP Back Together Correctly... Help!

Martowski · 07-30-2021, 07:12 PM

Hey All,

I just got my KP back from Precision Camera today (7/30/21) after them having it for about 6 weeks. Anyway, I noticed something very odd that wasn't happening before. When I put my weather sealed 18 - 135mm lens on it and move the zoom ring, it blows air out the right side of the camera! I blows air out the USB port, the SD card slot, and in between the seams where parts of the plastic body meet. And it's not just a small amount of air, it sounds like it's breathing! When you put your face up to it you can feel strong puffs of air coming out.

This wasn't happening before I sent this in to Precision Camera, and had nothing to do with the reason it was sent (it needed a new circuit board). See the video at the link below and please tell me if your KP does this! Again, mine wasn't doing this before the repair and it only seems to do with the WR lens. I tried with the kit lenses my old KR came with and it doesn't do it, but those aren't weather sealed lenses so they probably let air leak out in all sorts of places. Make sure you have your sound on to hear the air coming out.

20210730_210238.mp4 - Google Drive

Any idea what could be causing this? I feel like I need to call Precision Camera on Monday and tell them this isn't acceptable, but want to first share with the other KP users here to make sure I'm not reacting to something normal. I know this is a weather sealed camera, and part of me wonders if they forgot to put some seal back in the body or something.

Note: for anyone not aware, Precision Camera is who performs warranty work for Ricoh Pentax. Ricoh Pentax doesn't actually perform any of the repairs, they send you to Precision Camera.

**ramseybuckeye** · 07-30-2021, 07:27 PM

If you have the usb cover off, or the SD card cover open, air will come out. Those parts of the cameras are sealed with those covers. I don't think you have a problem.

Martowski · 07-30-2021, 08:02 PM

It leaks air when the covers for those are on though as well, that is how I noticed it. When the USB and SD card covers are on, the air comes out from under the grip.

Maybe this is fine, but it never did this before. Can anyone else tell me if they get puffs of air coming out from under their grip when a WR lens is zoomed in and out?

vonBaloney · 07-30-2021, 08:27 PM

It does that *because* it is a WR lens and the air has to come out somewhere. When you compress the zoom, it leaves less space for the air, so it must escape. With a non-WR lens (without seals), it just comes out of the lens itself. So where ever it does escape is just the path of least resistance.

Ronald Oakes · 07-30-2021, 08:28 PM

Just checked....I don't get anything with covers on.
With covers off just a bit but only from the open ports...Not from under grip at all.

Martowski · 07-30-2021, 08:32 PM

Originally posted by Ronald Oakes

Just checked....I don't get anything with covers on.
With covers off just a bit but only from the open ports...Not from under grip at all.

Ronald, were you using a WR zoom when you tried?

vonBaloney · 07-30-2021, 08:37 PM

Originally posted by Ronald Oakes

Just checked....I don't get anything with covers on.
With covers off just a bit but only from the open ports...Not from under grip at all.

Checked on mine out of curiosity as well -- if I open any of the doors or seals, I can feel it coming out there. With everything closed, I can't tell. I assure you it still must escape though (otherwise you wouldn't be able to zoom in or would feel a lot of resistance). (This is with 55-300 WR version, btw)

Last edited by vonBaloney; 07-30-2021 at 08:52 PM.

Martowski · 07-30-2021, 09:16 PM

Mine still sounds like it is breathing when the covers are all on and sealed, and I can feel the air coming out from under the grip. However, I did just tighten the grip down and that appears to have helped, see below. I didn't notice this before, maybe this is normal, maybe I'm just a little more observant since it just came back from repair. I just don't recall it sounding like a bike pump with the WR lens in the past.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_PRdCFmWF7dhmd8z9sU9cuYeVvISsfUk/view?usp=sharing

**UncleVanya** · 07-30-2021, 09:49 PM

Originally posted by Martowski

It leaks air when the covers for those are on though as well, that is how I noticed it. When the USB and SD card covers are on, the air comes out from under the grip.

Maybe this is fine, but it never did this before. Can anyone else tell me if they get puffs of air coming out from under their grip when a WR lens is zoomed in and out?

I checked mine. I hear air with all ports closed. But there is resistance. If I open the sd card slot it blows more strongly and without as much resistance at the lens. The air might be coming from under the grip but it seemed more likely to me it was leaking around the sd card slot.

Note: my testing was with the same lens you used 18-135.

Edit: I just went back and watched the video. Mine sounds the same. I think the leak is around the sd card. I also think it is normal.

biz-engineer · 07-30-2021, 10:24 PM

Originally posted by Martowski

Make sure you have your sound on to hear the air coming out

My K1 also blow air through the microphone holes and viewfinder when I zoom out, it's normal. Fortunately air coming out of body doesn't create any weird noise, or it would be embarrassing when in church or tourist places

35mmfilmfan · 07-31-2021, 02:25 AM

Maybe it's a design 'feature' to remove dust from hard-to-reach areas ?

Martowski · 07-31-2021, 05:03 AM - **1 Like**

Ok, thanks everyone. Sounds like this is normal, just something that I apparently hadn't noticed before. When the camera was shipped back to me the grip wasn't tightened down fully which I think amplified the air leak issue. That, in turn, caused me to further explore which led me to observe the air coming through the ports which I hadn't seen before. But, sounds like everything is normal. I really appreciate you all helping a guy figure this out!

**Mikesul** · 07-31-2021, 10:49 AM - **1 Like**

Thanks for this thread. I am glad (?) to hear this is normal but it is weird. I never noticed it in all these years. I do use a lot of primes.

Paul the Sunman · 07-31-2021, 03:50 PM

I don't have a KP, but zooming the 18-135 on the K3 with card door open does provoke notable air egress.

Ronald Oakes · 07-31-2021, 05:25 PM

Originally posted by Martowski

Ronald, were you using a WR zoom when you tried?

Yes...DA16-85
Air comes out SD slot and somewhere in the top I can't quite determine ? However nothing under the grip as described above.
Also tried the 55-300 plm and same thing. With the doors closed there is some slight resistance and I hear hissing from the top....nothing coming from the area around the grip at all.
It's quite minor and rather hard to determine exactly where the hissing is coming from...but it's on the top somewhere...NOT around the grip.

---------- Post added 07-31-21 at 17:35 ----------

Originally posted by Mikesul

Thanks for this thread. I am glad (?) to hear this is normal but it is weird. I never noticed it in all these years. I do use a lot of primes.

I use a lot of primes also. Never even noticed anything until this thread and I started checking...lol.
Ohhhh myyy...

07-30-2021, 07:12 PM	#1
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 105	I think Precision Camera Didn't Put My KP Back Together Correctly... Help! Hey All, I just got my KP back from Precision Camera today (7/30/21) after them having it for about 6 weeks. Anyway, I noticed something very odd that wasn't happening before. When I put my weather sealed 18 - 135mm lens on it and move the zoom ring, it blows air out the right side of the camera! I blows air out the USB port, the SD card slot, and in between the seams where parts of the plastic body meet. And it's not just a small amount of air, it sounds like it's breathing! When you put your face up to it you can feel strong puffs of air coming out. This wasn't happening before I sent this in to Precision Camera, and had nothing to do with the reason it was sent (it needed a new circuit board). See the video at the link below and please tell me if your KP does this! Again, mine wasn't doing this before the repair and it only seems to do with the WR lens. I tried with the kit lenses my old KR came with and it doesn't do it, but those aren't weather sealed lenses so they probably let air leak out in all sorts of places. Make sure you have your sound on to hear the air coming out. 20210730_210238.mp4 - Google Drive Any idea what could be causing this? I feel like I need to call Precision Camera on Monday and tell them this isn't acceptable, but want to first share with the other KP users here to make sure I'm not reacting to something normal. I know this is a weather sealed camera, and part of me wonders if they forgot to put some seal back in the body or something. Note: for anyone not aware, Precision Camera is who performs warranty work for Ricoh Pentax. Ricoh Pentax doesn't actually perform any of the repairs, they send you to Precision Camera.

07-30-2021, 09:16 PM	#8
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 105 Original Poster	Mine still sounds like it is breathing when the covers are all on and sealed, and I can feel the air coming out from under the grip. However, I did just tighten the grip down and that appears to have helped, see below. I didn't notice this before, maybe this is normal, maybe I'm just a little more observant since it just came back from repair. I just don't recall it sounding like a bike pump with the WR lens in the past. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_PRdCFmWF7dhmd8z9sU9cuYeVvISsfUk/view?usp=sharing Last edited by Martowski; 07-30-2021 at 09:39 PM.

07-31-2021, 05:25 PM	#15
Ronald Oakes Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,582	Originally posted by Martowski Ronald, were you using a WR zoom when you tried? Yes...DA16-85 Air comes out SD slot and somewhere in the top I can't quite determine ? However nothing under the grip as described above. Also tried the 55-300 plm and same thing. With the doors closed there is some slight resistance and I hear hissing from the top....nothing coming from the area around the grip at all. It's quite minor and rather hard to determine exactly where the hissing is coming from...but it's on the top somewhere...NOT around the grip. ---------- Post added 07-31-21 at 17:35 ---------- Originally posted by Mikesul Thanks for this thread. I am glad (?) to hear this is normal but it is weird. I never noticed it in all these years. I do use a lot of primes. I use a lot of primes also. Never even noticed anything until this thread and I started checking...lol. Ohhhh myyy... Last edited by Ronald Oakes; 07-31-2021 at 05:33 PM.

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07-30-2021, 07:27 PM	#2
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,292	If you have the usb cover off, or the SD card cover open, air will come out. Those parts of the cameras are sealed with those covers. I don't think you have a problem.

07-30-2021, 08:02 PM	#3
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 105 Original Poster	It leaks air when the covers for those are on though as well, that is how I noticed it. When the USB and SD card covers are on, the air comes out from under the grip. Maybe this is fine, but it never did this before. Can anyone else tell me if they get puffs of air coming out from under their grip when a WR lens is zoomed in and out?

07-30-2021, 08:27 PM	#4
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	It does that because it is a WR lens and the air has to come out somewhere. When you compress the zoom, it leaves less space for the air, so it must escape. With a non-WR lens (without seals), it just comes out of the lens itself. So where ever it does escape is just the path of least resistance.

07-30-2021, 08:28 PM	#5
Ronald Oakes Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,582	Just checked....I don't get anything with covers on. With covers off just a bit but only from the open ports...Not from under grip at all.

07-30-2021, 08:32 PM	#6
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 105 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ronald Oakes Just checked....I don't get anything with covers on. With covers off just a bit but only from the open ports...Not from under grip at all. Ronald, were you using a WR zoom when you tried?

07-30-2021, 08:37 PM	#7
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Originally posted by Ronald Oakes Just checked....I don't get anything with covers on. With covers off just a bit but only from the open ports...Not from under grip at all. Checked on mine out of curiosity as well -- if I open any of the doors or seals, I can feel it coming out there. With everything closed, I can't tell. I assure you it still must escape though (otherwise you wouldn't be able to zoom in or would feel a lot of resistance). (This is with 55-300 WR version, btw) Last edited by vonBaloney; 07-30-2021 at 08:52 PM.

07-30-2021, 09:49 PM	#9
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,404	Originally posted by Martowski It leaks air when the covers for those are on though as well, that is how I noticed it. When the USB and SD card covers are on, the air comes out from under the grip. Maybe this is fine, but it never did this before. Can anyone else tell me if they get puffs of air coming out from under their grip when a WR lens is zoomed in and out? I checked mine. I hear air with all ports closed. But there is resistance. If I open the sd card slot it blows more strongly and without as much resistance at the lens. The air might be coming from under the grip but it seemed more likely to me it was leaking around the sd card slot. Note: my testing was with the same lens you used 18-135. Edit: I just went back and watched the video. Mine sounds the same. I think the leak is around the sd card. I also think it is normal.

07-30-2021, 10:24 PM	#10
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,232	Originally posted by Martowski Make sure you have your sound on to hear the air coming out My K1 also blow air through the microphone holes and viewfinder when I zoom out, it's normal. Fortunately air coming out of body doesn't create any weird noise, or it would be embarrassing when in church or tourist places

07-31-2021, 02:25 AM	#11
35mmfilmfan Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 4,329	Maybe it's a design 'feature' to remove dust from hard-to-reach areas ?

07-31-2021, 05:03 AM - 1 Like	#12
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 105 Original Poster	Ok, thanks everyone. Sounds like this is normal, just something that I apparently hadn't noticed before. When the camera was shipped back to me the grip wasn't tightened down fully which I think amplified the air leak issue. That, in turn, caused me to further explore which led me to observe the air coming through the ports which I hadn't seen before. But, sounds like everything is normal. I really appreciate you all helping a guy figure this out!

07-31-2021, 10:49 AM - 1 Like	#13
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Thanks for this thread. I am glad (?) to hear this is normal but it is weird. I never noticed it in all these years. I do use a lot of primes.

07-31-2021, 03:50 PM	#14
Paul the Sunman Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,843	I don't have a KP, but zooming the 18-135 on the K3 with card door open does provoke notable air egress.